Clothes-washing apparatus.



WI asses W. WILBUR. CLOTHES WASHING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. ms.

Pzitented July 23, 1918.

INVENTOR Wa/zer I I IYbur BY fiazmm ATTORNEY WALTER WILBUR, OF LYNDEN, \VASHINGTON.

CLOTHES-WASHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Application filed February 27, 1918. Serial No. 219,480.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1 t known that I, lVAL'rnn lVinunn, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Lynden, in thecounty of lVhatcom and .State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes- Washing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to laundry appliances, and more particularly to the type commonly designated as pounder, the purpose being the provision of an article of this nature which is simple and effective in operation, capable of being easily manufactured at a minimum cost, and which may be conveniently manipulated so as to effect rapid operation when in service.

The invention has for its object to provide a laundry appliance which operates both by a pounding action and by a pumping action, the latter forcing the suds-water through the clothing both on the tip-stroke and the down-stroke of a piston which is mounted in the cylinder of the pounder.

The drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions, various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of. a washing machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section, a por* tion of the piston and the splash guard being in full.

Fig. 3 is a view of the machine as seen from the lower end.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view.

' Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates the body of the appliance, the same consisting of a sheet metal cylinder which open throughout its length and ofuniform interior diameter. A

skirt 2 is provided at the lower end of the cylinder and is attached in any manner at its upper edge thereto. said skirt flaring outwardly and downwardly and term'inatingat its lower edge in the plane of the lower end of the cylinder. Partitions 3 are interposed between the skirt 2 and the lower portion of the cylinder encompassed thereby, and these partitions are attached at their edges to the skirt and cylinder, and their lower ends terminate in the plane of the lower edges of the cylinder and skirt, thereby providing ample upbearing surface for sustaining the appliance when in operative position. The spaces -l formed between the skirt, partitions, and cylinder assist materially in the washing operation particularly when the appliance is pressed upon the clothes and lifted therefrom in rapid succession. \Vhen the appliance is pressed upon the clothes. the air confined in the spaces 4 will be compressed by the water entering the lower portion of such spaces and upon lifting the appliance from thcclothes, a suction will result, thereby assisting in loosening and dislodging the dirt from the interstices of the fabric.

Rods or bars and 6 are attached to opposite sides of the cylinder 1 and assist materially in stiffening and bracing the c vlin'- der. The rods 5 and 6 may be of any. suitable material and attached to the cylinder in any manner. and their upper ends project above the cylinder any required distance and are connected by'means of a cross piece 7 which is attached at one-end to the rod 5 by means of a clampS and. is secured at its opposite end to a handle 9 which is attached to the rod 6. The cross piece 7 is formed with a central opening 10 which constitutes a guide for a shaft 11 which is provided at its lower end with the piston or plunger .12. The shaft. 11 projects above the cross, piece 7 so as to be conveniently grasped when operating the piston. The handle 9 may be of any material and projects beyond opposite sides of the rod 6 so as to present a convenient grip when operating the appliance.

The piston or'plungcr 12 may be of anv material and is preferably solid and formed of a block of wood shaped substantially as indicated. The piston is provided near its lower end with a groove to receive a packing 13 and near its upper end with a groove 14 to receive any water that may tend to pass by the piston when the appliance is in action. A plurality of openings communicate at their lower ends with the annular groove 14 and extend through the upper end of the piston. Each of these openings comprises a substantially horizontal portion 15 and an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion 16. Any water finding its way into the groove 14L escapes therefrom in the operation of the appliance and is thrown upward and inward toward the shaft 11. r

T o prevent such water from splashing upward to the annoyance and inconvenience of the operator, a guard 17 is attached to the shaft'll a short distance above the piston 12, and this guard constitutes a splashing member to arrest the upward movement of the water escaping through the openings 1516. The guard or splash-piece 17 is hollow upon its lower side so as to confine the Water, and is provided with a collar which receives the shaft 11 to which it is attached in any manner.

The appliance may operate as a pounder by grasping the handle 9 and the upper end of the shaftll and moving the cylinder up and down in contact with the clothes to be washed. As a pump, the lower end of the cylinder may be held in contactwith the clothes and the piston 12 reciprocated bygrasping the upper endof the shaft and moving the same up and down. It is obvious that the appliance may operate simul- Gopies or this patent may. be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the taneously apounder and pump by reciprocating the piston Within the cylinder,

and at'the same time moving the cylinder- A washing machine, comprising a cylin I der, rods attached to opposite sides of the cylinder and projecting above the upper end thereof, a cross piece secured at one end to one of the rods, a handle attached to the other rod, and having connection with the opposite end of the cross piece, the latter having a centrally disposed opening, a piston in the cylinder, and a shaft projecting from the piston and passing through the opening of the cross piece. 7

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER WILBUR.

Witnesses:

H. L. WILLIAMS, E; EDSON.

Washington, D. 0.

commissioner of intents, d 

